Way of the Knights

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The brown haired man felt like the world was falling apart.

His eyes constricted fiercely as he stared at the kid in front of him. He felt like his entire body was dropped in an icy pond. He couldn't believe that he such a careless mistake, right now of all times. He didn't even needed to turn around to able to tell that many people were whispering behind his back. He could literally feel their piercing gazes and could somehow measure just how much he was being judged right now.

This kid is a devil. He was utterly convinced of it by now.

From the moment he voiced his objection up until the end, Raven never lost footing while him on the other hand has to come up with everything just to justify his bitterness about losing.

Just why did he have to provoke him? He could've just stayed silent and watch peacefully along the crowd, but his pride made him do it. Why did he listen to it? He couldn't tell as well.

If there's anything he should worry about right now, that is the fact that if he doesn't say anything, then he might really lose his life here.

But with how easy it is to realize what he needed to do, actually doing it is a different matter.

He repeatedly opened and closed his mouth, trying to say something or explain his side but nothing came out.

"Hmm? What's up? Don't you have many things to say? Go ahead! Spit it out, stop wasting our time." Raven fanned the flames using his words.action

This caused the brown haired man's expression to turn extremely ugly. He knew that Raven was pushing him to the edge of a cliff by doing this. He hated to toyed around like this but he can't do anything. This kid is a devil, he had no idea what devious plans he still had in his mind, for all he know, this provocation might be another trap, and if he fell for it once more, then it would be better if he just smashed his head onto a wall until he dies.

"Contestant number 26, do you have anything to say to defend yourself? Because if you don't have any, then you must face the punishment for slandering someone's reputation. If you have any proof of you claim, this would be the best time to show it."

Even the announcer himself was pressuring the brown haired man which almost made him crazy.

Though the announcer said it in a polite manner, the meaning behind his words were straightforward. It simply means: 'Quit wasting everyone's time and show some proof, if you can't show one then we'll punish you.'

The brown haired man didn't know what to do. His mind was turning more and more chaotic as time went on. He felt like pulling his hair out just so that ideas of how he could save himself could flow in his brain. He was confused, what does he do now? He had already mounted on the back of a tiger so he had no room for escape. He went down the quagmire just to enjoy someone else's suffering yet he didn't know that it was a deliberate trap of the enemy and his escape routes are closed off.

His eyes turned red, he looked up and threw a harsh glare at Raven.

'Him! This is all his fault!' He roared inwardly in fury, 'If he didn't exist, then this wouldn't have happened! If he didn't exist, then I should've won! If he didn't exist, then I wouldn't be this humiliated! If he didn't exist, then I would've gotten the chance to become the city's next leader! I would've lived a long and fulfilling life as this city's leader! Riches! Spouses! Luscious meals! All of it was supposed to be mine! But he existed! He is the reason why I'm like this!'

His thoughts were full of hatred and it made him enter a state of madness. His chest rose and fell visibly, he panted like he just ran a couple of miles without rest. In his maddened state, his mind turned rabid and he couldn't think properly anymore, like his sanity was stolen away from him.

He didn't even noticed that his thoughts weren't his anymore, instead it was from…something else.

'Kill! That's your answer! Kill him! Worry about the consequences later and kill him now! That's the only way you would be able to escape your current predicament! So kill him!'

The brown haired man gnashed his teeth, he clenched his fist hard and without anyone noticing it, his hands were slowly transforming into something else…

'God is watching and he's giving you a mission. Kill this kid and present to us his head! If you can do this, then you'll join our ranks and you'll be this city's next leader. Isn't this what you always wanted?'

"G-god is watching…?" The brown haired man stuttered in a whisper. His body shivered a little, like he was electrocuted or something. Next, a wave of delight, heroism and absolute madness wash over his mind and body.

"Haha…" Unknowingly, a laughed escaped through his lips which made the audience dumbfounded by how he's acting.

"Huhuhahahahahahahaha!" It then turned into a madness filled laughter, he threw his head back and laughed at the skies. Raven was surprised but then a somber expression surfaced in his face.

"God is watching!!" The brown haired man yelled on top of his lungs, he then threw a mad look towards Raven and he started running towards him.

The audience were shocked, even the announcer was rooted where he stood. None had expected this to happen. Even as he ran, the brown haired man was still yelling: "God is watching!"

As he got closer to Raven, the brown haired man's speed became faster and faster, which is totally abnormal. In the corners of his eye, Raven caught the changes on the man's hands and suddenly knew how he was able to achieve this.

The brown haired man's hand became covered with brown fur, this fur ran until his elbows as well. His fingers were replaced by claws, his eyes turned into horizontal slits, and a fang protruded out from his mouth. His expression was like that of a rabid beast.

The brown haired man raised his claws in the air and tried to swipe Raven's face using his claws.

Unfortunately, even with his transformation he still wasn't as strong and as quick as Raven.

His claws were easily caught by Raven using one hand. The brown haired man was surprised but attack using his other claw. However, Raven's one step ahead of him as his palms hit the joint of his shoulders. Now, Raven was effortlessly holding one claw while the other hand was dislocated. The brown haired man groaned when he felt that sharp pain, and as if that wasn't enough, Raven tightened his grip on the claw he was holding and crushed the brown haired man's bones.

"AAAAHHHHH!!!" The brown haired man cried in pain, his vision re-adjusted and a little clarity returned from his eyes. Confusion washed over his face as he realized the situation he was in, he also saw how his arms were transformed and how all of the people were looking at him with wide eyes.

Despair washed over his heart, he then thought: 'I'm done for. God, why?'

Seeing the confused look on his face, Raven frowned. This doesn't make sense for him. From all of the stories he heard from Elyion, none of the shape shifters should be this careless. Just what is going on here?

Raven reached out from his Storage Pouch. He retrieved a bag of powder and sprinkled it on the brown haired man's body.

Everyone was surprised and confused as to why he did this, but when they saw that the brown haired man's body went under a huge change and turned into a huge lion, all of them were gobsmacked.

"Heavens!"

"Ahh! A beast! Kill it!"

"God! Another shape shifter!"

"Burn it! Burn it with fire!"

The aggressive reactions of crowd spread like wildfire. Every single one of them wanted to kill this lion as soon as possible.

Somewhere amongst the crowd, Elyion felt his heart sank to his stomach. He shivered and became afraid. He wanted to disappear and hide away, the reactions of the crowd was too much for him. Why was he even here?

"Audacious!" The announcer gnashed his teeth as he fiercely glared at the shape shifter. "An abomination like you had the guts to not only slander our people but also yearn to get close to His Holiness! To what, to stab him in the back once more!? His Holiness might've forgiven your kind but not us! See how I'll deal with you."

The announcer wore a hateful expression as he marched towards the shape shifter. The lion's heart was filled with despair, his head sank down and all hope escape from his body.

But before the announcer even got close, Raven raised his hand, stopping the announcer from moving.

The announcer was stunned and was about to ask when he heard him speak: "Let me deal with him."

Without even waiting for the announcer's signal, Raven raised his hand and murmured some words that were only audible to the lion.

"Go in peace, it's not your fault."

And with that, he performed a chop and the lion's head was separated from it's body.